Current Instead of Thought

Lin Qingyan's hand patted Gu Chengyin's shoulder with pinpoint accuracy.

Golden arcs of lightning silently vanished into Gu Chengyin's body.

And then.

Gu Chengyin's mind went completely blank.

It was as if someone had taken a warm, damp cloth and wiped away all his thoughts in a single stroke.

All of his dangerous prying into Lin Qingyan's inner world was cleared out in an instant.

Spiritual power struck directly at his brain.

Electric currents replaced his thinking.

Gu Chengyin could feel that his brain was still functioning, but the content of its operations had changed.

No longer was there deep analysis, meticulous reasoning, or bold hypotheses.

Instead, there were only inconsequential things.

Such as the faint numbness brought about by the electric shock.

Such as the unique cold fragrance lingering on Lin Qingyan.

Such as the rumbling sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the stone-paved road.

These sensory details occupied all his mental bandwidth, squeezing out those dangerous thoughts.

Gu Chengyin turned his head to look at Lin Qingyan.

She remained seated properly, her hand already withdrawn and resting on her lap.

Her eyes were calm and her expression aloof, as if she were merely a bystander.

But Gu Chengyin knew it was her.

Lin Qingyan had sensed what he was thinking, so she used the most direct method to make him stop thinking about it.

Gu Chengyin ultimately gave up on continuing his deductions.

It was not a voluntary surrender, but a forced one.

Because whenever he tried to pick up his interrupted train of thought, trying to piece back together the fragments shattered by the electric current.

A faint, stinging pain would pulse in his brain.

The residual electrical energy was warning him: dead end.

It was absolutely ridiculous.

Whenever he started to think about details regarding this matter, Lin Qingyan always managed to catch him.

It was as if she had installed a surveillance camera in his head, capable of reading his thought processes in real time.

And then she would directly shock him, interrupting his cognitive processes in the most physical way possible.

This was not the first time.

Whenever his thoughts slipped toward a dangerous direction, Lin Qingyan could always detect it immediately and then shock him awake.

Gu Chengyin even began to suspect if Lin Qingyan knew mind reading.

Or perhaps some technique to sense the emotional fluctuations of others?

Otherwise, how could she always be so accurate?

Eventually, Gu Chengyin sat dejectedly beside Lin Qingyan.

The disparity in their strength was fully exposed at this moment.

Although he could currently be considered invincible at the Foundation Establishment stage, unfortunately, the person beside him was invincible at the Golden Core stage.

Since he could not beat her for the time being, he might as well lie flat and enjoy it.

Anyway, Lin Qingyan smelled so good; no matter how they interacted, he was not the one losing out.

Gu Chengyin was just about to open his mouth, preparing to continue their previous topic, which was whether Lin Qingyan could teach him a few spells.

Since dangerous topics were off-limits, they could talk about something safe, something that could improve his strength.

Before the words could leave his mouth, a voice came from outside the carriage.

It was Chen Busha's voice.

Lord Jingzhe, Junior Preceptor Gu, we are about to arrive at Liming City ahead.

Liming City.

Gu Chengyin paused slightly.

This name sounded a bit familiar.

Wasn't this one of the cities that intercepted Luo Zhao back in Luoshui Commandery?

This was quite a coincidence.

But thinking about it carefully, it wasn't a coincidence at all; traveling from the Divine Capital to the Luo Capital, one definitely had to pass through Liming City.

Gu Chengyin pulled back the window curtain.

Sunlight instantly flooded into the carriage, so bright that it was somewhat dazzling. He narrowed his eyes and looked ahead.

The official road stretched straight forward, and at its end, the outline of a city gradually became clear on the horizon.

Liming City.

The city walls were very high, visually estimated to be over ten zhang tall, entirely built from blue-grey massive stones. The crevices between the stones were covered in dark green moss, the marks left behind by time.

Every thirty paces along the wall stood an arrow tower, with eaves tilting upward like the wings of a bird about to take flight.

The city gates were heavy iron-clad wooden doors, currently wide open.

A considerable number of people had gathered at the city gate.

Gu Chengyin's eyesight was excellent; his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation allowed him to see details from a hundred zhang away.

He saw many officials wearing official robes of different ranks, ranging from green robes to crimson ones.

They were neatly lined up on both sides of the city gate, bowing and standing solemnly, their posture respectful almost to the point of humility.

Standing at the very front was a middle-aged man in a purple robe, likely the Governor of Luoshui Commandery.

He also saw the guard of honor.

Two lines of yamen runners held signs demanding silence and evasion, arrayed on both sides.

Behind them was a marching band, fully equipped with gongs, drums, cymbals, and bells, but they were not playing music at the moment, just waiting quietly.

Further back were standard-bearers holding various colored flags, the banners slowly fluttering in the afternoon breeze.

Cordon lines were drawn on both sides of the official road, with yamen runners standing with staffs, holding back the curiously peering commoners.

Some of those commoners were standing on their tiptoes, some were holding children, and some were whispering to each other, all bearing the expressions of onlookers watching a spectacle.

Who were they waiting for?

Naturally, they were waiting for this inspection entourage.

Gu Chengyin thought for a moment and spoke up:

General Chen, since the Censorate has business to attend to, let's rest our feet in Liming City.

We will set off after they are done.

This phrasing was very subtle; it expressed the intention to stay here without giving a specific time commitment.

After all, waiting for the Censorate to be done could mean half a shichen, a whole day, or simply depending on their mood.

Yes! Your subordinate obeys, Chen Busha replied crisply and neatly.

After speaking, Gu Chengyin dropped the window curtain.

...

In front of Liming City, the yellow earth on both sides of the official road was baked white by the sun, radiating fine waves of heat.

Luoshui Commandery Governor Li Shiyuan stood quietly at the very front.

Logically speaking, given his official position and rank, coupled with the fact that the Ministry of Rites was inspecting sects.

Having no direct connection to local government affairs, he shouldn't have needed to appear here, let alone welcome them in person.

Those inspection groups setting out from the Divine Capital for routine visits to major sects usually ranged from ten or twenty people at their smallest to fifty or sixty at their largest.

Although the person leading the group would also be a Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, when passing through, at most the City Lord would step forward to receive them, arrange food and lodging, replenish supplies, and then politely send them off.

An official at the level of a Commandery Governor wouldn't even show his face.

But this time was different.

Li Shiyuan's gaze fell on the official road ahead.

That inspection entourage was approaching at a leisurely pace.

Their speed was controlled very evenly, their rhythm as stable as a pendulum.

The procession was very long, stretching over a hundred zhang from front to back. Leading the way were the heavy cavalry of the Golden Feather Guards, their horses tall and robust, draped in dark gold scale armor.

Behind the cavalry were several carriages traveling side by side, belonging to the Internal Affairs Department, the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Rites, and so on.

Further back was the widest, most magnificent carriage, pulled by eight pure white steeds.

The cloud and thunder patterns on the carriage walls were still clearly distinguishable even from a hundred zhang away.

That was the emblem of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

Li Shiyuan's Adam's apple bobbed.

He had floated and sunk in the officialdom for decades and had seen his fair share of great storms.

But a spectacle like today's was a first for him.

Because the rank of this sect inspection entourage was simply too high.

Outrageously high.

The accompanying officials from the various ministries were all renowned elites in the Divine Capital; it could be said that every single one of them was capable of taking charge independently.

Yet in this inspection entourage, they were merely escorts.

Then there was the leader, Gu Chengyin.

Junior Preceptor to the Crown Prince, Chief Steward of the Internal Affairs Department, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Marquis Bingjian.

Aside from Marquis Bingjian being a title of nobility.

Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites was actually the lowest official title Gu Chengyin held.

And what compelled Li Shiyuan to personally come out to welcome them even more was the person sitting in command of this inspection entourage.

Lin Qingyan.

Jingzhe of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

The Crown Prince's aunt.

A cultivator of the Golden Core realm.

Each of these titles carried the weight of a thousand pounds.

When stacked upon a single person, the resulting weight was enough to strike terror into the heart of any local official.

Compared to the minor early-stage Foundation Establishment characters in previous inspection teams, the difference was like night and day.

One was high up in the heavens, while the other was down in the mud.

Therefore, no matter what, Li Shiyuan had to be here.

He had to welcome her in person.

It wasn't a show for Gu Chengyin.

It was for the Celestial Master's Mansion.

It was for the eyes in the Imperial Court that were keeping a close watch on this entourage.

This was his way of stating his position: as the Governor of Luoshui Commandery, he supported the Ministry of Rites in inspecting the sects, and he fully endorsed all decisions made by the Imperial Court.

This position simply had to be declared.